Ask any New Yorker how they stay sane while living in the concrete jungle and they will inevitably start listing a handful of the best parks in New York City. Lucky for us, there’s plenty to choose from.
NYC takes public recreation very seriously and the proof is in the pudding. There are more than 1,700 public spaces in New York City. So without further ado, allow me to share my personal list of the absolute best parks in New York City for people watching, picnics and panoramic skyline views.
Visiting New York City? If you haven’t decided where to stay (yet) check out our helpful guide on Where to Stay in New York City (The best neighborhoods for first timers +2 to avoid). Don’t have time? Here’s our favorite hotel in NYC, hands down.
The Best Parks in New York City
(Table of Contents)
If you want to become a real New Yorker, there’s only one rule: You have to believe New York is, has been, and always will be the greatest city on earth. The center of the universe.
– Ellen R. Shapiro
10. Battery Park
Between 1820 – 1892, hopeful immigrants arrived to the Land of the Free by way of Castle Garden, where Battery Park sits today. This was the first immigration center in America and more than 100 million Americans can trace their ancestral roots to Castle Garden.
The original Ellis Island, if you will.
But the mass influx of immigration required a more structured process over time. The solution? Ellis Island, which replaced the need for Castle Garden in 1892. Not only does this land play a key role in the city’s diverse history, but the park itself is very beautiful. Take a lovely stroll during the spring season when daffodils and vibrant blooms create a carpet of color.
You’ll get great views of the Statue of Liberty and a handful of important memorials, such as the East Coast WWII Memorial, Korean War Memorial and the American Merchant Mariner’s Memorial.
Website: Battery Park
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9. Hudson River Park
Where Battery Park ends, Hudson River Park begins and stretches all the way to 59th Street. Not only does this lively NYC park span 550 acres, but it hugs the Hudson River and offers spectacular waterfront views.
In fact, more than 400 acres of Hudson River Park is located on piers that stretch over the water. The wide paved paths are well-maintained, making them popular with runners and walkers. Plus, the park’s proximity to the buzzing Tribeca neighborhood ensures you’ll never go hungry or thirsty.
Website: Hudson River Park
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8. Union Square Park
Union Square Park was originally designed as a town square in 1839. The park serves as a safe haven for street artists, professionals on lunch breaks, busy students and eager tourists. There’s plenty of cafes and affordable restaurants nearby, but whenever I visit with out-of-town guests, I always suggest grabbing food from the nearby Whole Foods. Grab a meal to go and enjoy it on the park bench. But fair warning, on any sunny day, you can expect every bench at this beloved New York City park to be full.
Website: Union Square Park
Good to Know: Union Square Park has a year-round greenmarket.
Wait, what’s with the digital clock at Union Square Park?
Okay, so you might notice a large digital clock on the side of a building on the south end of the park. Well, like with most things, there’s a story behind it. The clock is actually a commissioned art instillation called “Metronome.” It was installed in 1991 and simply showed the time (functioning like a regular clock). However, since 2020, the theme of the art instillation has changed.
In 2020, the Metronome started to show the “time remaining until the earth’s carbon budget expires due to global warming.” Serving as a stark reminder about our global impact.
7. Riverside Park
Situated along the Hudson River in the Upper West Side, Riverside Park is often considered Manhattan’s most scenic waterfront park and I can’t say I disagree. I currently live on the Upper West Side and start most mornings with a walk. l I tend to split my time between Central Park and Riverside Park, opting for Riverside Park when tourist season is in full swing and Central Park feels crowded.
Stretching from west 59th Street to 181st Street, the park spans 400 acres. It’s full of healthy trees that offer ample shade, plenty of park benches, and even has some charming gardens to explore (like the famous garden shot at the end of You’ve Got Mail).
Website: Riverside Park
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6. Brooklyn Bridge Park
Sitting under the shadow of NYC’s most famous bridge, Brooklyn Bridge Park is a beautiful 85-acre waterfront park that stretches 1.3 miles along the East River. Irresistible views of the Manhattan Skyline take center stage as happy couples pepper the lawn with picnic blankets and pizza boxes in tow.
The park has a few attractions like playgrounds, sports fields, gardens and a scenic promenade. It’s very popular in the summer months when the park hosts outdoor movies. I always make sure to bring out-of-town guests here, especially as sunset. Nobody is immune from the magical feeling of seeing the skyline light up for the night.
Website: Brooklyn Bridge Park
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5. Washington Square Park
Located in the heart of the charming Greenwich Village, Washington Square Park is one of the most beautiful parks in New York City. The most notable feature in the park is the monolithic marble arch that sits at the northern entrance of the park. Build to commemorate the centennial of George Washington’s inauguration.
Serving as the cultural and community hub of the neighborhood, the welcoming atmosphere makes Washington Park one of the best parks in NYC for people-watching. It’s famous for the diverse array of street performers, artists and social activities (not to mention all the students from nearby New York University).
Make an effort to see Washington Park during the spring season. There’s an undeniable cheery buzz in the air as both locals and tourists eagerly flock outdoors after the dreary winter months.
Quick history lesson: During the late 18th century, this area was a burial ground for indigent victims of illness and disease. As the property slowly morphed into Washington Square Park, this site became the epicenter of many movements and protests. As such, Washington Square Park is one of the most historic parks in New York City.
Website: Washington Square Park
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4. Prospect Park
Prospect Park was designed by Frederick Olmstead and Calvert Vaux, the architects responsible for designing Central Park. Covering 526 acres (compared to Central Park’s 842 acres), this park is massive!
Locals tend to congregate around the Long Meadow (spanning 90-acres), Prospect Park Zoo, charming Boathouse, Picnic House and Concert Grove. If you’re visiting during the summer, check out the list of free concerts hosted at the Prospect Park Bandshell. Another clear advantage of this beautiful New York City park is that locals tend to outnumber tourists, so the vibe is more relaxed.
Website: Prospect Park
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3. The High Line
The High Line is one of the most unique parks in New York City. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this popular NYC park was born from an eye-sore. Built on elevated train track, this area was used by freight trains delivering cargo to the city. (A practice that became moot with the rise in trucking.)
For ages, the railroad track was abandoned, a blight on the neighborhood until Mayor Bloomberg approved a plan to transform the derelict train tracks into a public park. The High Line opened in 2009 and became an instant success.
The elevated promenade stretches 1.5 miles and receives an average of 8 million visitors annually. It didn’t take long for folks to realize this as one of the most interesting parks in New York City. The High Line is a great park in New York City for kids, too! During the warm summer months there’s a handful of vendors selling balloon animals and ice cream.
Website: The High Line
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2. Bryant Park
Bryant Park is perfectly tucked into the shadow of towering office buildings that make up the heart of Midtown Manhattan. Located right behind the breathtaking New York Public Library, it’s not uncommon to find all the chairs and benches full during sunny days.
It’s a hub for the folks that work in the office buildings nearby. The park benches swell with locals during the busy lunch hour most seasons of the year. My favorite season to visit Bryant Park is summer because of the free movies hosted on the lawn.
You’ll also notice library carts full of books, park visitors are encouraged to grab a novel and read under the shady trees at their leisure. There’s a friendly librarian on hand that keeps track of the books to ensure they don’t get swept up.
Website: Bryant Park
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1. Central Park (The Best Park in New York City)
We can’t talk about the best parks in New York City without mentioning the masterpiece that is Central Park. There’s a reason it’s on everyone’s must-see list when visiting New York City.
Central park is the most beautiful park in New York City. How do I know? It’s the most filmed location in the world (has #2 beat by a mile!). It’s also one of the first man-made parks in the country– designed using a new concept for the time called landscape architecture.
Spanning more than 840 healthy acres, Central Park is an architectural feat that few can resist falling in love with. If you’d like some guidance during your first visit to Central Park, I suggest reading our guide on 15 ICONIC Things to Do in Central Park.
Website: Central Park
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Extra Time? More Great New York City Parks to Visit
The New York City parks mentioned above are some of the best in the city. But if you have some more time (and are willing to travel off the beaten path) here’s a few more parks I recommend.
Governors Island
Governors Island is a 172-acre island accessible by ferry from Manhattan. Home to unique attractions like historic forts, art installations and some of the best views of Manhattan (and the Statue of Liberty), the park is popular with locals during the summer. Full of grassy spaces and an active promenade, this is the place to go if you’re looking for some solitude without straying too far from NYC’s comforting skyline.
Innwood Park
Inwood Hill Park is special because it’s Manhattan’s last natural forest and salt marsh. Spanning 196 acres, this park offers a glimpse into the island’s pre-urban landscape with its thick deciduous forest and trails. The park, which was acquired for public use in 1916, preserves a vital piece of the city’s natural history and offers some of the best views of the famous George Washington Bridge.
McCarren Park
Bordering trendy Williamsburg and Greenpoint, McCarren Park is very popular with Brooklyn locals because of the easy-going vibe and ample green space in this 35-acre park. In terms of best parks in New York City, this one checks all the right boxes: public pool, running track, dog parks, tennis courts, soccer fields and grassy fields for picnic blankets. Expect to find a plethora of recreational activities in addition to peaceful respite.
Fort Greene Park
Fort Greene Park has an interesting claim to fame: it’s officially the first park in Brooklyn. Much like some of the other parks mentioned on this list, Fort Greene was designed by Olmstead and Vaux, so you can bet it’s good.
This exact area was used to house forts during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. When the threat of war subsided after the War of 1812, the land was used as a public green space. It was officially designated a park in 1847 under the name Washington Park, before being renamed in 1897. The rest, as they say, is history.
Van Cortlandt Park
Located in the Bronx, Van Cortlandt Park is one of the largest parks in New York City (spanning 1,200 acres!). The distance from the center of Manhattan ensures a proper escape into solitude, something that cannot be overstated while living in New York City.
My favorite part about the NYC park is that it feels more natural and less manicured. Home to tons of playing fields and a plethora of playgrounds, this is a great family friendly park.
NYC Parks (FAQ)
(FAQ: Parks in NYC)
Contrary to popular belief, the largest park in NYC is Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx (not Central Park). In fact, Central Park is 5th largest park in NYC (not even in the top 4!).
If you’re looking to spend the day people-watching, make your way to Washington Square Park. The mish-mash of characters is hard to beat!
NYC is home to nearly 2,000 parks (1,942 parks, to be exact). The city boasts about 28,000 acres of municipal parkland, including major parks like Central Park, Prospect Park, Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, and Forest Park.
Best Parks in New York City (Summary)
In sum, these are the best parks in New York City:
- Central Park
- Bryant Park
- Prospect Park
- The High Line
- Riverside Park
- Brooklyn Bridge Park
- Washington Square Park
- Union Square Park
- Hudson River Park
- Battery Park
- Governor’s Island
- Innwood Park
- McCarren Park
- Fort Greene Park
- Van Cortlandt Park
And there you have it my friends – a quick roundup of the best parks in New York City. I hope you enjoyed the post!
Cheers!
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Curtis White says
As we read this article, the city has decided and are destroying a viable East River Drive Park to rebuild it for the sake of resiliency instead of building in a fully mature resilient park that survived Super Storm Sandy.
newyorksimply says
Hey Curtis, where can people get more info on this? Thanks!
Andy Hall says
Hey! You missed the best one!
Inwood Hill park, where you can feel that you wandered into Canada.
Spectacular views of the Hudson river, spectacular bird watching (if you like that), strenuous hikes with serious inclines and corresponding great views.
Leave a trail of bread crumbs to get back out. You won;t believe that you are in the city.
Klara says
@Andy Hall, as a local, I agree! I visited for the first time this past weekend (finally make the trek to see the Met Cloisters) had no idea the park was so beautiful. Totally agree that you won’t believe you’re still in the city, it’s great!
Klara says
I’ve lived in NYC for 7 years, love the parks you mentioned on your list but am bummed that Tompkins Square Park wasn’t listed, it’s the best park in the city for people watching! Plus it’s so close to Tompkins Square Bagels (my favorite bagels in New York). You should add it to the list!
Antonina says
Hey Klara, I think this list needs a little update! I’ve been exploring the East Village a lot more these days and agree with you about Tompkins Square Park. I’ll make some changes based on your feedback and my personal experience with the park lately. And YES! to Tompkins Square Bagels, I love that place too!
Cheers to you!
Antonina